


Searching Peace

by UnwInked



Category: Naruto
Genre: Different Body, Other: See Story Notes, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:13:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28903947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnwInked/pseuds/UnwInked
Summary: Fate is a fickle thing. Creation and Destruction two sides of the same coin. Which side will fall when the God of Pain walks the path of the chosen child?Hunted by his future self and trapped inside the body of a six-year-old Naruto, Pain will find his own way to obtain peace.(Pain becomes Naruto, Time Travel)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> **Attention - Content Warning**  
>  This fanfiction touches the darker side of the shinobi world. So there will be violence.
> 
> I won't put in extra warnings for single chapters. So proceed at your own risk.  
> \--  
> 
> 
> * * *
> 
> **I strongly suggest reading the tags. ;-)**

Nagato did not know what had gone wrong when he suddenly found himself sitting on a bed in a very messy and rundown apartment, holding an empty cup of instant ramen in his hands.

The Akatsuki leader carelessly put the cup down and stared at his much too small hands.

What was going on?

Had he not been battling the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki only moments before?

Why was he suddenly in the body of a child?

Where was he?

He raised his head and looked directly at a gigantic leaf symbol hanging over his headboard.

Konohagakure.

What was he doing in _Konoha_?

He stood up, walked briskly towards the only mirror in the room and froze.

It was not his image that was looking back at him.

It was Uzumaki Naruto.

The Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki.

And he was very young.

For a moment Nagato stared disbelievingly at his reflection. Was this a dream?

He pinched himself.

It hurt.

The reflection remained the same.

He tried again.

It still hurt – and nothing had changed.

The child was still looking back at him.

That was when realization hit him, and he hastily pushed up his shirt, examining the unblemished childish skin. The seal was still there.

Nagato laughed. For some strange, unfathomable reason, he had just become the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki.

What an irony.

What was he supposed to do now? Seek his counterpart? No. That was not a good idea.

He was Uzumaki Naruto now and if he tried to approach Pain, he would only end up having his chakra sealed and being locked up tight - no questions asked.

Contact Madara? Equally bad idea.

No. Currently, Akatsuki was his enemy. Pain rubbed his temples. But then, had it really worked out at all? Most members had been killed by the time he had attacked Konoha, and he had been at the verge of losing as well.

Perhaps this was a chance.

A chance to try again.

He already had the most powerful bijuu at his disposal, after all.

Yes, this idea had some merit. He would have to look further into it.

But first he had to get his strength back.

He examined his body again. Uzumaki Naruto – no, _he_ seemed to be about five or six years old. An academy student, most likely, or about to become one.

Intent on finding out more about the boy, Nagato opened the closet and flinched at the abundance of orange jumpsuits. Did the child not own something more practical? And in different colors? Red and black perhaps? He very much preferred Akatsuki's signature colors and really did not feel like completely undressing himself every time he needed to vanish into the shrubbery.

Nagato rummaged through the drawers, eyeing the mismatched socks and crumpled underwear in affronted displeasure, and spent the next twenty minutes rearranging the socks into their correct pairs and folding his briefs.

Once his wardrobe was finally considered orderly again, Nagato wandered into the kitchen and glanced into the fridge. It was almost empty. The milk was way past its expiration date, and he could not see a single vegetable anywhere.

The cupboard above the sink, though, was filled to the brink with different kinds of instant ramen.

Had nobody told the child how unhealthy that was?

Shaking his head, he went through the backpack the boy had carelessly thrown down next to the kitchen door and emptied the contents onto the floor.

He found five blunted kunai, three shuriken that had seen better days, a battered history book, two broken pencils and a ripped sheet that seemed to contain a timetable.

Nagato studied the child's schedule. He had been correct. Uzumaki Naruto had been an academy student and judging by his classes, a rather new one as well. He quickly glanced onto the digital clock to check the date. It was Friday. Enough time for him to arrive then, good.

Nagato turned to look at the boy's broken supplies. They needed to be replaced.

In fact, Nagato glanced at the cracks in the wall and the flickering ceiling light, there were a lot of things that needed replacement.

But before that, he had something more important to take care of.

Nagato refused to play the role of a cheerful prankster. He would never manage to pull it off, anyway.

Unfortunately, people did not just change their entire personalities overnight. Not unless something very traumatizing happened.

Which was very unlikely.

So Nagato just had to make it happen.

* * *

Nagato had always been meticulous and very perceptive. It was easy for him to pick out those who harbored a strong dislike for this body's owner out of the crowd.

He observed his potential pawns closely, but none of them had the right level of loathing and hatred to be utilized.

Until he came across him. The man with the eye patch. The man's animosity was almost tangible.

Excellent.

He would serve his purposes well.

Now he just needed to lure him in.

He met the man's hostile gaze and smirked.

* * *

Akame Iwana was furious. Not only had he met that damn demon brat on the street, that thing even had the gall to _smirk_ at him! It was infuriating. Countless people had died and the cause of this was running around free, looking at him with that damn gloating look.

Iwana really wanted to put his hand around that blasted demon's neck and squeeze. At least then they would finally be rid of him.

Sadly enough, the Hokage was protecting that thing, helping it to escape justice and even keeping that thing's living place a secret.

He snarled into his glass.

"…almost the entire building is vacated," a male voice suddenly said behind him.

"Really?" a second voice, a female this time answered, sounding incredulous. "What happened?"

"They say _it_ lives there," the male whispered.

Iwana froze and slightly shifted to listen in, his grip tightening around the glass.

The female inhaled sharply. "No wonder everyone moved away," she muttered. "I'd probably have done the same."

Iwana agreed. He would have done that, too. After paying that thing a visit, though. It was pretty weak in that small body now. He would have no problems teaching it a lesson.

"Yeah," the man replied. "I heard that the owner of the Uyemura apartment complex was not too happy about that."

Uyemura apartment complex, eh?

Iwana smirked coldly.

Time for a little walk.

Nagato's eyes flashed as the dispelling of his clones announced his success.

* * *

The young boy did not even flinch as his apartment door was kicked open.

There was a moment of tense silence as Nagato turned away from the window and met the smirking man's cruel gaze with emotionless eyes. "Akame Iwana," he greeted his visitor in a flat, uncaring tone. "I have been expecting you."

For a moment, the child's unexpected words threw the man off his game and something like unease flitted over his face before it distorted in fury. "Demon," he snarled.

"Demon?" Nagato repeated, tilting his head. "No. I am not a demon. I am Pain. I am _god_ and today you will face your judgment."

The room burned.

* * *

Nagato looked blankly at the old man standing in front of his hospital bed. The Third had not wasted any time in checking on him the moment he had heard about the attack.

"Naruto…", the Hokage sighed, gazing at the young child's injury with a very sad look.

There was a moment of silence before Nagato began to speak.

"He said I deserved it."

The Third flinched, unsettled by both the words and the detached tone they had been delivered in.

"He called me a monster," Nagato continued. "A demon."

The Hokage's gaze saddened even further.

"He told me to die."

The dog masked ANBU next to the Hokage shifted. Nagato decided it was time to deliver the finishing blow.

"Maybe he was right. Maybe you should just have left me there. Maybe you should just kill me."

"No!" the Third interrupted him sharply, his voice ringing with power. The man put his hands on the child's shoulders and captured the empty eyes with his own, trying to will the boy to understand.

"He was _not_ right, Naruto. You don't deserve what happened to you, and you most certainly do not deserve _death_."

"But…"

"No but!" The Hokage was not backing down. "You are a child. You did _nothing_ wrong."

"…I didn't?" Nagato asked, tilting his head. "Then… _why_?"

"He was drunk," the Hokage evaded. "And probably confused, so he took his anger out on the first person he saw. You cannot believe anything he said."

"…Okay," Nagato answered after a long pause, before adding. "He was so _strong_. I pushed, but he didn't move." he lowered his voice until he was barely whispering the last words. "I killed him."

The dog masked ANBU twitched, and the Hokage put his hand on the child's head. "You did nothing wrong," he told him firmly.

"Okay…", Nagato mumbled quietly.

There was another short silence before the child spoke up again. This time more determinedly.

"I will train harder. I promise."

The Hokage stilled. He was glad that Naruto seemed to be intent on taking his training more seriously now, but he was not too happy as to the reason _why_. He did not want the child to be driven by fear. He looked at the empty blue eyes that used to be so full of life and decided to keep his concerns to himself. If it helped the child recover, he would not stop him.

"Good," he answered simply. "I am looking forward to your progress."

Nagato nodded.

* * *

The Akatsuki leader watched the door close behind his visitors and leaned against the headboard. The self-inflicted wound on his chest throbbed. Stabbing himself was not a pleasant experience, but if it meant being able to act more freely, he did not mind it at all.

Anything to achieve his dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

Nagato had been released one week later with strict orders to take it easy, even though the Kyuubi's power had long since taken care of his injury.

A crow masked ANBU was already waiting for him when he left the hospital. "Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Yes?" Nagato inquired, his voice just as impassive as the man's in front of him.

"I am under orders to take you to your new living quarters," Crow informed him. "The Uyemura complex has been deemed uninhabitable. "

"Okay. ", Nagato answered, only just stopping himself from adding "Please lead on." It was hard for him to simplify his speech. He did not know how a six-year-old child should speak or behave. He had already taken care of the behavior problem, but it still left his increased vocabulary unexplained.

He would have to make sure to be seen reading in public.

"I will transport us there," the ANBU announced, putting his hand on the child's shoulder.

"Brace yourself."

* * *

The neighborhood his new apartment was located in was close to the Academy and at the heart of the village. The complex was rather new, three-stories high, and even had a small garden for recreational purposes.

Nagato's living quarters were at the first floor and overlooked the garden. Both the kitchen and his bedroom were bigger than the ones in his last apartment, and there was not even a single crack on the wall.

"We attempted to salvage some of your belongings, but the fire has consumed your entire flat," Crow reported. "You will need to acquire replacements. To compensate you for your loss and your injury, your attacker's assets have been seized and been signed over to your name."

The ANBU handed him a file. "This is the current listing of your assets. Feel free to peruse it at your leisure."

Nagato accepted the file with a calm "Thank you."

This was certainly an unexpected, but pleasing development.

"Your apartment keys are on the table. Unless you have questions, I shall take my leave now."

"Only one," Nagato immediately seized the chance to reform his image. "Can you please tell me the fastest way to the library?"

For a moment, the ANBU simply stared at him, before he finally answered the child's question. "Walk down the street past the Hokage tower and take the third alley to the right."

"Thank you."

Crow nodded shortly. "I will take my leave now."

The ANBU disappeared without saying another word, but Nagato knew that he had not vanished just yet. He could still feel the man's chakra signature outside the window. There was no doubt that the Hokage would keep a close eye on him for the next weeks.

But this suited him just well.

Satisfied with the way things were going, he brewed himself a fresh cup of tea and opened the folder.

Akame Iwana had by no means been a rich man. But he had been a freshly promoted chunin and had made an average living. It was far more than this body's former owner used to have at his disposal.

Nagato was pleased. He could get himself a new wardrobe now and buy some higher quality school supplies.

* * *

Wandering through the streets, he took sharp note of everyone he found looking at him, mentally categorizing them in unfriendly, neutral, and friendly. The first category got the most entries.

Any normal child would have been dejected by this kind of discovery. But Nagato was neither normal nor a child.

He had transcended. He was Pain, and thus a god.

The Akatsuki leader ignored the cold gazes with a self-confidence unique only to him and entered the grocery store.

It was strange only to use one body. He was used to separating himself, being able to do multiple things at once, but now he was limited to his own body and his range of perception had shrunk significantly.

He did not like it.

His clones might be useful for getting errands done, but beyond this they were rather useless.

He needed to find another way to surveil his surroundings.

Nagato was really missing his Rinnegan.

The Akatsuki leader quickly finished his shopping trip and returned home, intent on getting his plans started.

* * *

"He inquired after the library?" the Third asked, focusing his attention on the ANBU in front of him.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Crow confirmed. "I gave him the directions he desired and assumed my post. After I had left, Uzumaki inspected the file. He spent at least an hour reading through it."

The Hokage raised an eyebrow. "He actually read it? Interesting," he waved his hand, signaling the ANBU to continue.

"After he was done, Uzumaki referred to the Academy guidelines, made some notes and went shopping," Crow paused, before adding. "He bought lots of fruit and vegetables."

The Sandaime nearly dropped his pipe. Naruto? Referring to the guidelines? Buying _vegetables_? _Willingly_?

Astounding.

"Then he visited Tagawa's Equipment and replaced his entire school supplies. He spent quite a lot of time assessing the merchandise. It appears that Uzumaki has an eye for quality."

Something else the Third had not known about the child. But then, Naruto had never been in a position where he actually had the opportunity to choose. He almost flinched guiltily at that thought. "Go on."

"He made a last stop at the clothes store to buy himself a black robe and an assortment of red and white shirts."

The Third _did_ drop his pipe this time, but managed to catch it, before he could set himself on fire.

The ANBU dutifully overlooked his superior's break in composure and finished his report. "After that he brought his purchases home, changed into his new clothes and went to the library. According to his file, he borrowed books on history, math, and strategy, as well as a thesaurus. Then he went home and practiced his throwing skills."

"I see," The Third answered slowly. The incident really seemed to have shaken the child. He sighed. "Continue your watch. We have to make sure this was an isolated incident."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Crow affirmed.

* * *

Umino Iruka had heard about the attack on his student. It was a hot topic among Konoha's shinobi. Rumors said that the apartment complex Uzumaki had lived in had completely burned down and that the child himself had sustained serious injury.

Some even said that he had been close to death. Iruka had never been too fond of the young boy who imprisoned the demon, but he would never have wished this kind of incident on any child.

So, he was silently relieved when Uzumaki Naruto returned to class one week later. But the child was a changed person.

Iruka felt it the moment the boy stepped through the door. It was not the fact that he had exchanged his jumpsuit for a black robe and red shirt, things like this were trivial, but rather the way he held himself. The cheerfulness that drew you in was gone, and his place was a mysterious calmness that reminded him of a deep ocean.

"I am back, Iruka-sensei," the child informed him calmly. Iruka almost recoiled at the emptiness in the boy's blue eyes.

"Welcome back, Naruto," Iruka finally answered, avoiding the blank gaze. "Please take a seat."

Naruto nodded "Yes, sensei." and, much to Iruka's surprise, proceeded to take a seat in the front row, looking at him with an expression that could only be described as mild interest.

Feeling slightly unsettled, Iruka started the lesson.

* * *

Nagato kept only half his attention on the lecture while he contemplated which child he should get close to first. Uchiha Sasuke was out. If he started associating with him now, Itachi would only see him as his brother's friend. Someone on par with his little brother. But for his plan to work, Itachi needed to consider him _his_ friend.

No, it would be best if he started with some inconspicuous, someone talented with no clan affiliation and background. His eyes zeroed in on a pink-haired girl. Haruno Sakura, the Godaime's future apprentice and the one who killed Sasori. She would be a perfect place to start, but she was not exactly what Nagato was looking for right now.

He did not want to admit it, but he was missing Konan. The woman had been by his side since they had both been children. She had been his confidant, his partner, the one he had trusted most.

But Konan belonged to his other self now. So, he needed someone else as his second. Someone who already knew a certain measure of pain.

Of course, it would be simple for him to show pain to any child of his choosing, but there was this small part in him that preferred to have at least one person at his side whose bond to him was untarnished.

His gaze fell on a young black-haired girl sitting next to the Hyuuga heiress. Her hand was moving rapidly as she wrote down the teacher's lecture, but there was something different about her. She looked almost resigned.

As if feeling his gaze on her, the girl raised her head and Nagato found himself looking into tired eyes, sparkling with a fierce, yet heavily chained defiance.

How interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The girl mentioned in the last paragraph is technically not an OC, because she did appear in the anime. (Episode 1 ~5:50, between Iruka and his paper) I am just giving her a personality and a backstory. ;-)


	3. Chapter 3

"And that was how Konoha established its trading routes with the Ichioka settlement," Iruka finally ended his lecture. "Now let's see if you paid attention. Ino." The addressed girl startled and tore her gaze from Sasuke.

"When was the trading route established? " Iruka asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"After the Third War, sensei," the girl answered.

"And _when_ after the Third war?", her teacher probed further because the time frame was rather vast.

Ino shrugged.

Iruka threw her a disappointed look. "Pay more attention next time," he admonished her. "Anyone else who can answer the question? Naruto?"

There were a couple of amused scoffs around the room.

"Two years after," Nagato answered calmly, not even pausing to think.

Iruka blinked in surprise. "Correct,", he smiled at the child. "Well done, Naruto."

Several heads turned to stare incredulously at the boy. Naruto usually _never_ got questions right.

Shikamaru raised his head from his arms and glanced shortly at him in tired curiosity before going back to dozing again.

Nagato saw the Hyuuga heiress smiling shyly at him, apparently happy that he got the answer right.

"Noriko." The girl next to her looked up from her notes and Nagato watched in interest as her gaze settled on the teacher. "Yes, Umino-sensei?"

"How far away is the settlement from Konoha?"

"About three days' average speed, sir," Noriko answered. She was using formal speech again, Nagato noted absently.

"Correct," Iruka turned towards the blackboard and picked up the chalk. "I want all of you to answer the following questions. First…"

Nagato sighed mentally and picked his pen up. This was really starting to get tedious.

* * *

The Akatsuki leader was beyond relieved when they finally reached recess. The lessons were trivial and entirely uninteresting. Anything that had been explained to them up till now he could have read up in less than thirty-minutes.

But then he _was_ stuck in a six, almost seven-year-old body. He had to endure a bit longer.

Intent on furthering his image as a studious child, he settled down under a tree and pretended to immerse himself in his borrowed history book, making sure to throw a confused glance into the direction he could feel his ANBU guard hiding in.

His guard's chakra flickered in surprise and immediately withdrew further from him. Amused at the ANBU's futile attempt to escape his notice, Nagato turned the page, allowing his mind to wander to his former friends.

Konan. Yahiko.

If they could see him now. Sitting here, pretending to be a child. They would have laughed themselves silly at his predicament.

A deep sadness fell over him when he remembered yet again that they were no longer his friends now, but his _other_ self's.

They had survived so many hardships and betrayals together– and now they were separated.

His hands tightened around the book when he suddenly realized that one of those people responsible for Yahiko's death was inside this very village.

Danzo.

There was no way he would let him go unpunished. The man would be dealt with – and if he planned things correctly, Uchiha Itachi would be more than happy to help him with that.

The sudden ringing of the bell signaling the end of the break yanked him out of his musings. Reluctantly, he put the book away and readied himself for throwing practice.

* * *

Iruka nearly dropped his clipboard when Naruto hit the center of the target for the third time.

"Good job," he finally managed to get out once he had gotten over his surprise. "You have improved. Three out of five."

"Thank you, sensei," Nagato answered, ignoring the shellshocked faces of his classmates. "I trained four hours yesterday."

"It certainly paid off," the man told him, shaking his head in bemusement as he wrote the result down. "Keep up the good work."

Nagato nodded and returned to the others, unobtrusively moving to the stand next to a black-haired girl.

She glanced quickly at him as he appeared next to her, fixing him with an almost searching look and returned to watching Sakura's practice, apparently satisfied with whatever she had just seen.

They shared a moment of comfortable silence as both of them observed their sensei correcting the child's grip.

"She's holding it too tightly," Nagato commented casually. "There is no way she can hit it."

"She is," the girl agreed easily. "At this rate she will miss by at least one foot."

"One-and-a-half if she doesn't stop glancing at Sasuke," Nagato added, trying to probe her reaction.

The girl next to him laughed in startled surprise but did not deny his words.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto, by the way," he introduced himself offhandedly. "But I suppose you knew that already."

"Chino Noriko," she answered, something like mirth sparkling in her dark eyes. "And yes, I do know. We _are_ in the same class."

"Noriko!" Iruka's voice interrupted their conversation. "It's your turn."

"Yes, Umino-sensei," she answered obediently, the laughter immediately leaving her eyes.

* * *

Nagato closed his notebook with quiet relief. He had finally managed to get through his first school day. He had not imagined it to be so _taxing_. Not physically, but mentally.

He constantly had to watch himself, trying to downplay his intellect and making sure to walk the very fine line between being seen as a bright, prodigal child and raising people's suspicions.

Pain was many things. A leader, a planner, a warrior but definitely not a good actor and why should he be? He used to stand at the top of the world. Gods did not need to _act_. They were personifications of their very beings.

They ordered. They guided. They judged. Pain had been one of them. A god. A servant of peace. He still was. Rinnegan or not.

Nagato sighed inaudibly and grabbed his bag. It was only afternoon, and he still had quite a lot of things to do.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had found himself checking in on Naruto more than once today. He still had an ANBU tailing the child, but he still preferred to see things for himself.

Naruto was not only the only legacy of the Fourth but also a very important part of their military strength. An attack on him was equal to a strike against Konoha's forces. The T&I Department was still actively investigating the incident, trying to make absolutely sure that no outside powers were involved. So far, their search had come up empty and the Third strongly doubted that they would find anything.

Luckily, the child himself seemed to be doing well enough. Or as well as he could expected to be. The attack had certainly left a deep impression on him, effectively robbing him of his cheerful personality.

The Hokage watched as the child went through his first lesson, looking way more attentive and focused than he had ever seen him before.

Sighing deeply at yet another failure, he turned off the orb and returned to his paperwork, only to get interrupted shortly after by a very angry ANBU inquiring after his sensei's son.

Kakashi really could be rather persistent.

It seemed like a week-long mission had not been long enough to get him to calm down.

* * *

While Kakashi was busy yelling at the Hokage for keeping him away from the investigation, Nagato implemented the second part of today's plans.

It was easy to throw his trail off just long enough to make a clone. Once he was sure that the ANBU was no longer following him, he quickly made his way towards his final destination.

The Senju compounds were a historical monument of Konohagakure and had been long since sealed up to prevent people without Senju blood from trespassing upon the clan's lands.

Wards like these were rather tricky to set up and had a very distinct weakness. They differentiated by blood, not by name. Nagato might not have been carrying the Senju name, but he was definitely sharing their blood.

The Uzumaki and Senju clans had always been close, considering each other family. Not only because of friendship, but because they actually shared a common ancestor.

They had blood ties.

And these blood ties would allow Nagato to pass the barrier.

Confirming once again that he was alone, Nagato stepped past the gates.

The wards welcomed him eagerly.

* * *

It was eerie to walk past all these abandoned buildings, perfectly preserved houses surrounded by lush green grass and trees.

Everything seemed so alive and normal that Nagato almost expected people to step out of their doors and go about their daily lives.

But the air remained silent. No footsteps sounded; no voices were heard.

Nagato was alone in the ethereal silence.

He kept walking through the dreamlike picture and vaguely mused that this place seemed indeed like the residence of a god.

Unfading.

Resisting the gnawing tooth of time.

He allowed himself a few moments to appreciate the sheer calmness the place emitted before he made his way to the center of the compound where the main house was located.

He stepped through the entrance and found himself in a fully furnished reception hall. A banner was hanging at the opposite wall, showing Konoha's symbol and proclaiming the Will of Fire.

Nagato stepped closer and could see the village's clans' signs lining the edges of the banner.

He smiled wryly and opened the door to his right.

It was an office. The ornate wooden desk was still in top condition, too, and Nagato's gaze wandered over the portraits lining the shelves.

He recognized Senju Hashirama and Tobirama during different stages of their lives. Drawings of two smaller children were strewn between them, too. Nagato supposed he was looking at the youngest Senju boys, who had both lost their lives during the Warring States Era.

Nagato slowly sunk into the chair behind the desk.

Yes, this would be a good base to start his operations.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next two months, Nagato's class performance improved tremendously. The Third felt a sudden surge of pride when he saw the perfect score on the child's test. "He has truly improved."

"He has, Hokage-sama," Iruka agreed respectfully. "Now that he has decided to apply himself, his answers are rarely wrong anymore and his accuracy with kunai is nearly perfect now. He hardly misses the center by now."

"Excellent," the Hokage answered. "What about his friends?"

Iruka hesitated. "He does not get along very well with his classmates," the man admitted. "Many of them did not take his sudden improvement too well, and Naruto himself does not seem to be too interested in playing with them. He is more focused on learning."

Hiruzen furrowed his brows. "I see." He sighed. "I suppose it is to be expected. Naruto has experienced something very traumatizing. This incident has forced him to mature way too early." He sounded displeased.

The teacher nodded slightly. "Well, there is someone he seems to be getting along with."

"Oh? Who might this be?"

"Chino Noriko, Hokage-sama," Iruka reported.

The Third furrowed his brows, unfamiliar with that name. "Civilian-born?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. As far as I know, she is being raised by her grandfather."

"Interesting." The Hokage shifted slightly in his seat and almost immediately a light pulse of chakra confirmed his unspoken order. He could feel one of his ANBU leave, undoubtedly relaying his order to investigate Naruto's newest friend.

* * *

Nagato watched silently as the young Uchiha happily greeted his oldest brother at the academy gates, throwing his arms around the older boy's waist and burying his tiny head into his brother's stomach.

Itachi's hand settled on top of the child's head. Gentle and protective.

Pain allowed himself a moment to appreciate the sentimental value of the scene. Uchiha Itachi was a kind child, the complete opposite of the coldly efficient man he had become. The love he felt for his brother was apparent. Nagato could read it in the way his face softened at the child's approach. In the slight relaxation of Itachi's shoulders when he saw him safe and sound.

There was no doubt that Uchiha Itachi loved his little brother, and judging by the sparkle in the child's eyes, Itachi was adored in return.

Nagato silently wondered how their relationship could have become so twisted to the point that they loathed each other. Twisted enough for Sasuke to long for Itachi's death. For Itachi to revel in degrading his brother; humiliating him over and over again.

Akatsuki's leader turned away, allowing them to enjoy their bonds while they still could.

He still had someone else to observe.

* * *

The house the young girl was living in was rather rundown but still seemed to be well-cared for. The stainless windows contrasted with the peeled off paint, and the small stone path leading to the door looked like it had been recently freed from moss.

It was obvious that someone was trying very hard to keep it inhabitable.

A slight movement behind one of the windows drew Nagato's attention, and he silently moved closer until he could look inside.

The first he saw was the worn armchair in the center of the room. An old man was sitting on it. Nagato could only see his profile, but even so he could not help but notice the unusual paleness of the man's face; sharp cheekbones highlighting his sunken cheek.

It was obvious that he was ill.

The door to the adjoining room opened and Nagato could see Chino Noriko walk in, a steaming bowl in her hands.

Nagato took a sharp breath as he saw the paper-flower adorning the girl's black hair.

It reminded him painfully of Konan.

His chest ached.

Quietly she approached the old man and his head moved into her direction.

Nagato applied chakra to his ears to enhance his hearing.

"Nori-chan," the man's voice was rough and brittle, like a parchment that had been left in the sun way too long.

"Grandfather," Noriko replied quietly, gentleness in her voice. "I have brought your dinner. Can you eat?"

The man attempted to move into a straighter position, and Noriko immediately put the bowl onto the side table and went to support him.

"I am alright, child," the man rasped. "Now, what wonderful thing did you magic up for me?"

Noriko giggled, dragged a chair next to the armchair and picked up the bowl again. "It's just a soup, grandfather."

She picked up a spoon and carefully filled it before bringing it to the man's mouth. "I made sure it's not too hot. You should have no problems eating it."

The man answered by opening the mouth and accepting the food. He swallowed and let out an exaggerated sound of contentment. "Delicious."

Noriko smiled softly at him, and they spend a few minutes in silence as she fed him.

"How is the academy going?" the man finally asked when she set the empty bowl down.

The girl lowered her head. "It's fine. You don't have to worry."

"But I do," her grandfather replied quietly. "You are a gentle child, Nori-chan. This life is not for you. I am worried that it will destroy you."

"It's the only way we can stay here," she answered quietly.

Her grandfather sighed and brought his bony hand up to pat her head. "I won't try to dissuade you anymore. But I am still worried."

The girl nodded slightly, careful not to dislodge his hand.

Nagato suddenly felt like he was witnessing something very intimate and left as quietly as he had come, musing over the scene he had just witnessed.

* * *

The next day was a Saturday, which meant Nagato was free to pursue his plans without any interference of the academic kind.

He was now ready to implement the second stage of his "prodigious child" strategy. Two months had been sufficient time to introduce people gradually to to his more intelligent side, and now it was time to step things up.

He had carefully deliberated on what to show that would be suitably impressive, but not overly suspicious, and had finally reached a decision.

Making sure that the ANBU still tailing him had a good view of his actions, Nagato came to a stop in front of the Naka river and stared at the surface.

Several minutes passed in which he just stood there, seemingly lost in thought, before he put his foot on the surface, clear hesitation in his action.

It sunk in slightly and Nagato hastily pulled it back.

He repeated this process a couple of times with different amounts of chakra, experimenting with the output, until his foot finally remained on the surface.

Nagato slowly pushed more of his weight onto it until he was standing on one leg and slowly started to take wobbly steps, his movements getting surer and more stable with each try.

Not long after that he was running over the surface like he had done it for his entire life.

He could feel his hidden guard's chakra spiking slightly in surprised disbelief and decided to take his display even further.

Nagato lowered himself down until he was comfortably sitting on the river, idly playing with the surrounding water, scooping it up and frowning when it seeped through his fingers.

For a few moments Nagato stared at his empty hands before he rose, left the stream, and walked back to the tree he had left his bag at. He rummaged through it until he found an empty ramen cup.

Settling back on top of the stream, he filled the cup to the brim and attempted to will the water back into the brook.

Half an hour passed in which the child simply stared at the cup before the surface suddenly shuddered slightly and tiny drops started to raise, slowly trickling over the cup's edge back to where it came from.

Nagato smiled. That was enough for today. Time to return before his poor ANBU guard got a heart-attack.

* * *

"Naruto!"

The boy stopped and turned to look at the two men who had just rounded the corner.

"Hello, jiji," Nagato greeted the Third cordially and smiled lightly at him. "Are you escaping your paperwork?"

"I am merely taking a break to get some fresh air," the Hokage replied, sounding amused.

Nagato hummed and nodded sagely. "So, you are ditching it."

The Hokage looked slightly indignant, and the man next to him chuckled at his disgruntled expression. "He got you there, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen threw him an unimpressed look. "Don't pretend you are not doing the same, Shikaku."

"Well, I never denied it," the man answered easily.

Nagato eyed him critically. "Are you Shikamaru's father, sir?"

Shikaku turned his attention towards the child, taking in the calm yet relaxed stance and noticing the intelligence shining brightly behind the dull blue eyes. "I am. You are in the same class, correct?"

Nagato nodded. "Yes, but I have not talked much with him yet. He spends most of his time sleeping."

Shikaku snorted. "Of course he does."

"Like father, like son," the Hokage commented with obvious mirth.

Shikaku ignored that comment with practiced ease and eyed Nagato with something akin to mild interest. "Say, Naruto-kun, have you ever played shogi?"

The Third snorted.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto had an interesting way of playing, Shikaku mused as he eyed the board. The child was obviously a planner. One who did not mind playing the long game to reach his goals.

Each move was precisely calculated, and Shikaku found himself quickly fascinated with the gentle ruthlessness the boy displayed. Naruto was not afraid to sacrifice his pieces if he had to, but he still tried his best not to endanger them needlessly.

He raised his eyebrows when he recognized the strategy behind the child's next move. "Have you read _The Art of War_?"

"Yes," Nagato answered, turning his piece around to promote the rook.

"And you understood it?" the man asked casually.

Nagato threw a glance at the man, not fooled by his tone. "I did."

"Interesting."

"It is," Nagato agreed calmly, the double meaning clear to both of them.

Shikaku grinned wryly, strangely reminded of the times he had played with Minato. The man always had the peculiar ability to make you feel both intelligent and stupid at the same time.

"You have indeed changed. I have not heard anyone complain about your pranks in months."

For a moment something dark flitted through the child's emotionless eyes. "I don't have time to play around." Nagato answered firmly. "I won't be weak again."

"I see," Shikaku replied, feeling sad on the boy's behalf. He had heard the details of the attack. According to the reports of the first-response teams, the scene had been gruesome.

It was no wonder the child had changed so drastically. Nobody would be the same after this kind of experience.

"Perhaps you would like to join us for dinner sometime?" he found himself offering.

Nagato paused. "I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't," Shikaku assured him, his hand hovering over the bishop. "And my son could do with having someone his age around when he isn't sleeping."

The child smiled slightly. "Okay, then. Thanks for the invitation."

"Of course," Shikaku replied, pleased with his answer.

The match continued on and slowly a very interested crowd formed around the two players who were so immersed in their match that they had completely forgotten to eat the ice cream they had ordered.

* * *

Nara Shikaku was an excellent player. It seemed the intelligence of the Nara clan could really not be underestimated.

The jonin commander would either make an excellent ally or a very dangerous opponent. He was a man Nagato could respect. A man he would not have minded befriending. But it was not to be.

Nagato was a child now. A child the age of the man's son.

It was a pity.

He moved his rook.

It was time to end this game.

* * *

The spectators applauded when Shikaku finally won the match. It had been a close one.

"Congratulations," Nagato congratulated him with a pleasant smile.

Shikaku met the boy's calm gaze over the board with a knowing glint in his eyes. "Thank you." There was a dry undercurrent in his voice. "You played very well. Perhaps we could repeat it, soon?"

Nagato paused. He had enjoyed the game. It was nice to feel actually challenged again.

He inclined his head. "But I have one condition."

"Oh? And what would it be?" Shikaku asked with a raised brow.

"The next time I want to play Go."

"I believe this can be arranged."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems like Shikaku just found a new shogi partner. *xD*
> 
> I wanted Nagato to have some "adult interaction" for once and this is the closest I could go.
> 
> And yes, there is a reason "OC Noriko" is getting so much screen time. A _very important_ one. You just don't know it yet - or perhaps you already do? ;-)


End file.
